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Care policies and procedures: what every UK care service needs
In brief
Care policies and procedures set out how a health or social care service keeps people safe and delivers good care. A policy says what the service will do and why. A procedure gives staff the steps to do it.
Every registered service needs them. In England the CQC asks every new provider for eight policies when it registers, and expects all policies to fit the service, be kept up to date and be followed in practice. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own regulators and standards.
This guide explains where policies come from, which ones every service needs, how often to review them, and how to make them work on a real shift. It links to policies for each type of care service.
What are care policies and procedures?
A policy is a statement of what a care service will do and why. A procedure is the set of steps staff follow to do it. The policy is the commitment, and the procedure is how the commitment is kept on every shift.
| Policy | Procedure | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A statement of what your service will do and why | The steps staff follow to do it |
| Who it is for | Managers, inspectors, staff and the people you support | The member of staff doing the task |
| Example | Medicines will be given safely, as prescribed, with the person's consent | Check the record, confirm the person's identity, give the dose, record it, watch for reactions |
| How it changes | When the law, guidance or your service changes | When the way the task is done changes |
Good policies are written for the people who use them. They reflect how care is actually given in the service, name who is responsible, and are short enough to read when a question comes up mid-shift.
Which laws do care policies come from?
Most care policies exist because the law requires something of a care service. The table shows the main laws and the policies they shape.
| Law | Where it applies | Policies it shapes |
|---|---|---|
| Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 | England | The fundamental standards, Regulations 9 to 20A, which most care policies support: person-centred care, consent, safe care, safeguarding, complaints, governance, staffing and duty of candour |
| Care Act 2014 | England | Adult safeguarding duties, the wellbeing principle and person-centred care |
| Mental Capacity Act 2005 | England and Wales | Consent, best-interests decisions and deprivation of liberty |
| Equality Act 2010 | Great Britain | Equality, diversity and human rights, for staff and the people you support |
| Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR | UK | Confidentiality, record keeping and data protection |
| Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 | Great Britain | Health and safety, lone working, moving and handling, and the regulations under it, such as RIDDOR and COSHH |
| Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 | UK | Whistleblowing and freedom to speak up |
| Health and Care Act 2022 | England | Among other changes, the requirement for staff training on learning disability and autism |
Who regulates care policies?
Each UK nation has its own regulator, and each sets its own standards. A service's policies need to reflect the rules where it operates, and a provider running services in more than one nation needs to meet each set.
| Nation | Regulator | Standards it assesses against |
|---|---|---|
| England | Care Quality Commission (CQC) | The fundamental standards, assessed through the single assessment framework |
| Scotland | Care Inspectorate | The Health and Social Care Standards |
| Wales | Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) | The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 and its regulations |
| Northern Ireland | Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) | Care standards set by the Department of Health |
Which policies does every care service need?
In England the CQC asks every new provider to send eight policies with its registration application:
- Complaints
- Consent
- Equality, diversity and human rights
- Governance and quality assurance
- Infection prevention and control
- Medicines management
- Recruitment
- Safeguarding
It also asks for a statement of purpose and an insurance certificate, and some types of service send more. See the full CQC list, and what every policy must include.
Registration is the minimum. Once a service is running, inspectors expect policies that cover the rest of the fundamental standards. These are the policies most services hold beyond the registration eight:
| Policy | What it supports |
|---|---|
| Whistleblowing and freedom to speak up | Regulation 17 and the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 |
| Duty of candour | Regulation 20 |
| Accidents, incidents and reportable events | Regulations 12 and 17, and RIDDOR |
| Mental capacity and deprivation of liberty | Regulation 11 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 |
| Health and safety | Regulation 12 and health and safety law |
| Risk management | Regulations 12 and 17 |
| Confidentiality and data protection | Regulation 17 and the Data Protection Act 2018 |
| Staff training and supervision | Regulation 18 |
| Person-centred care planning | Regulation 9 |
| Dignity and respect | Regulation 10 |
| Nutrition and hydration | Regulation 14 |
| Premises and equipment | Regulation 15 |
Regulation numbers refer to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, which apply in England.
Policies by type of service
A care home, a home care agency and a supported living service each need policies that fit how care is given there. The CQC is clear that a template for one type of service will not work for another.
Starting a new service? See the documents the CQC asks for at registration.
What must every policy include?
For registration, the CQC says every document must include the business name, the name of the person responsible, the date it was created and the date it will be reviewed. It must also be complete, relevant to the service, free of personal information about the people supported, up to date with working links to legislation and guidance, consistent with the service's other policies, and accessible to staff and the people who use the service. Read the CQC's requirements in full.
How often should care policies be reviewed?
The CQC asks every document to show the date it will be reviewed, but it does not set one review frequency for every policy. Many services review each policy at least once a year. Review sooner when:
- the law or national guidance changes, such as CQC, NICE or Care Act guidance
- something goes wrong, such as an incident, complaint or safeguarding concern
- the service changes, such as a new setting, new people supported or a new way of working
- staff say a policy does not match how the work is really done
Record each review, even when nothing changes. A dated record that a policy was checked is evidence of good governance.
How do you make policies work in practice?
Most services have policies. Fewer have policies that staff use. A policy that sits in a folder until inspection day does not keep anyone safe. Five things make the difference:
- Tailor them. Adapt every policy to how your service actually works, using the words your team uses.
- Make them easy to reach. Staff need answers on shift, on their phones, not in an office binder.
- Make them easy to understand. Plain language, short summaries, and support for staff whose first language is not English.
- Check they are used. A signature saying a policy was read is not the same as knowing it was understood. Look at which policies staff open and what they ask about.
- Keep them current. Watch for changes in guidance, review on schedule, and listen when staff say something no longer fits.
What do inspectors look for?
Inspectors do not just check that policies exist. They look for evidence that policies shape how care is delivered. In England, Regulation 17 on good governance expects records, including policies, to be kept up to date, kept secure and acted on, and expects providers to keep up with national guidance as standards change. Inspectors may ask staff how they would handle a situation and compare the answer with the policy.
Be ready to show when each policy was last reviewed and who approved it, how you tailored it to your service, how staff can reach it, and how you know staff understand it. See how Regulation 17 applies to policies.
What are the ways to get care policies?
Services usually choose one of five routes. Each has trade-offs in cost, who writes the policies and how they stay current.
| Route | Cost | Who writes them | Keeping them current | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Write your own | No fee, but many hours | Your team | You track changes yourself | Fully yours, if you have the expertise |
| Hire a consultant | Usually the most expensive | The consultant | Often an extra fee | Bespoke, but costs more to keep current |
| Buy a one-off template pack | Low, once | Usually not named | You track changes yourself | Generic: the CQC warns a template must suit your type of service |
| Subscribe to a policy library | A monthly or yearly fee, often per user or per site | Check whether authors are named | Updates from the supplier | Check how updates reach you, and what you keep if you leave |
| OpenDoc | Free library, or £70 + VAT a month per service, unlimited users | Named experts, at least three sign-offs | Alerts when guidance changes, then you choose | Tailor every policy and keep it if you leave |
Compare 20+ UK policy providers.
Care policies from OpenDoc
OpenDoc is a library of more than 500 care policies and procedures, each written by a named expert and signed off by at least three of more than 100 experts, including former CQC inspectors. It covers all four UK nations.
- A starter set chosen for your region and care setting, with your service's name, contacts and terms filled in
- Alerts when CQC, NICE or Care Act guidance changes, with each version compared side by side, so you accept the update or keep your own
- Answers for staff on their phones, by voice or text, in 51 languages, drawn from your own approved policies
- Evidence of which policies and sections staff read and what they ask, not just a tick-box
- Owners, review dates and reminders on every policy, with a full version history
- Upload your existing policies as PDFs or photos, and keep your policies if you leave
The library is free to use. The Organisation plan is £70 + VAT a month per service, with unlimited users, free fully managed setup and no long-term contract. Meet the experts.
Frequently asked questions
What are policies and procedures in health and social care?
A policy sets out what a care service will do and why, such as how it keeps people safe from abuse. A procedure sets out the steps staff follow to do it. Together they turn the law and regulators' standards into everyday practice, so care is safe and consistent whoever is on shift.
What is the difference between a policy and a procedure?
A policy is the statement of what the service will do and why. A procedure is the step-by-step instruction staff follow. A medicines policy commits the service to safe administration. The medicines procedure tells a care worker exactly what to check, give and record.
How many policies does a care service need?
There is no fixed number. The CQC asks every new provider in England for eight policies when it registers: complaints, consent, equality and human rights, governance and quality assurance, infection prevention and control, medicines, recruitment and safeguarding. Established services usually hold many more, and policy libraries offer from around 100 to more than 500.
How often should care policies be reviewed?
The CQC asks every document to show the date it will be reviewed, but it does not set one frequency for every policy. Many services review each policy at least once a year, and sooner when the law, guidance or the way the service works changes.
Who is responsible for care policies and procedures?
The registered provider is legally responsible for its policies. The registered manager usually owns them day to day, and the CQC asks each document to name the person responsible for it. Every member of staff is responsible for following them.
Does the CQC approve care policies?
No. The CQC does not approve or endorse any policy or policy library. It looks at whether a service's policies fit the service, are kept up to date and are followed in practice.
Can I use template policies?
Yes, if they suit your service and you adapt them. The CQC says a third-party template must suit your type of service, and that a template for residential care will not work for a home care agency.
Are there free care policies and procedures?
Yes. The OpenDoc library is free to use, with policies written by named experts and signed off by at least three. The Organisation plan, at £70 + VAT a month per service, adds tailoring, alerts when guidance changes and AI answers for staff.
Do care policies differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Yes. Each nation has its own regulator and standards: the CQC in England, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, Care Inspectorate Wales, and the RQIA in Northern Ireland. Policies need to reflect the law and standards where the service operates.
What happens if policies are out of date?
The CQC can return or reject a registration application with documents that are out of date or do not suit the service. For registered services, out-of-date policies can count against the service under Regulation 17, good governance, which expects records to be kept up to date and acted on.
Related pages
Sources
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: legislation.gov.uk
- CQC, Documents everyone must send, last updated 10 August 2026
- CQC, What each document must include, last updated 2 February 2026
- CQC, Regulation 17: Good governance
